Team Building Exercise
by DancesWithSeatbelts
Summary: Natsu allows Gray to select the Christmas Present he will give to Lucy - short one-shot for the holiday. ch2) Happy New Year's for Gruvia, Gajevy and Nalu. This collection looks to be made up of holiday themed drabbles. ch 3) Valentines Day
1. Team Building Exercise

"Man, I love and hate Christmas," Natsu grumbled to Gray. "Lucy never likes what I get her. She complains if I ask her, she complains if I look in her journal, she doesn't even like it if I snoop around her apartment." He settled his beer stein down with a thump. "I've gotta get her the best present this year."

Being more than half drunk, Gray snorted. "You'll never guess what all the girls have been wanting." He played with his necklace, looking at it like he'd never seen it before. "Wasn't I wearing a sweater a minute ago?"

The fire dragon slayer rolled his eyes at his companion. "Yup, it went missing along with your pants. Please keep your shorts on, I want to keep my dinner digesting where it belongs."

"That's what all the girls want this year, it's a new fad." Gray laughed again as he tipped the rest of his drink down his throat.

"Girls want me to digest my food?" Natsu motioned to Mira for a refill. "I knew you were a dumb snowflake Gray, but that's really stupid, even for you."

"No." Gray was disdainful, "I was talking about these new sweaters - they're nice. You wouldn't be able to appreciate'em."

Mira brought Natsu's refill and gave both boys a blinding bright smile. "I know Lucy'd love one of those sweaters! They're so cute!"

Gray gave Mira a sly look, "Yah, everybody loves those sweaters - and it's just so hip to have matching couple sweaters, isn't it?"

Briefly confused, Mira slowed down her mopping of the bar counter. She giggled a little as Gray waggled his eyebrows at her and decided to play along. "Oh yes, the his'n'hers sweaters." She directed her words towards Natsu, "Lucy would absolutely love the his'n'hers sweaters."

The ice mage pointed to his empty glass, Mira nodded and flounced away. "Natsu, out of the kindness of my heart, I'll help you with picking up your present."

Finally a bit suspicious, Natsu squinted at Gray. "Since when do you actually want to help me?"

"Oh, that really hurts." The ice mage did his best to look contrite. "Christmas is a time to get along with your fellow guild mates. Can't I make up for lost opportunities? You pay for it and I'll pick it out. I guarantee Lucy will love this year's gift."

Grinning like a loon, Natsu slowly nodded. "Sure, I guess. I should maybe even get Happy a sweater to match! That would be so cool! It would be like a team effort!"

Returning with Gray's drink, Mira set it down and exchanged another long look with the drunk ice mage. Mira tilted her head and nodded almost imperceptibly. "I know the very store that sells the his'n'hers sweaters."

Natsu grinned happily, "Gray's gonna pick it up for me - but thanks anyway Mira."

"Oh, okay then. I just know Lucy is going to love her Christmas sweater." With a giggle and another bright smile, the demon barmaid winked at Gray who couldn't help but guffaw.

* * *

><p>Christmas Eve at the guild hall was crowded. The tree in the corner fairly groaned under the weight of decorations, rivalled only by the amount of gaily wrapped gifts piled under. Team Natsu came storming in from the cold and joined Juvia at a table near the tree.<p>

"This year you're gonna love my present, Luce!" Natsu slung a friendly arm around the blonde. "And so will Happy."

The blue exceed floated gracefully down to the center of the table, "I'm easy to shop for Natsu. I love every kind of fish there is, except those flying fish. They taste as bad as Lucy looks." He giggled and launched himself back into the air.

"If it wasn't Christmas, I'd skin you and have slippers made from your hide!" Lucy frowned at the flying cat. "I swear he stays up late at night to dream those insults of his up."

Mira came bustling up to the table with her order pad in hand, "What can I get you guys?" Her smile matched the brightness of her eyes, "This year we all get to unwrap one present from under the tree at midnight!" Mira jotted down the shouted orders and promised to return quickly.

"Lucy! You gotta open mine!" Natsu smiled his widest, happiest grin at the celestial mage. "This year I know you'll love it."

"I suppose Natsu. There's no way your choice in gifts can get worse, is there?" Lucy gave a half-hearted smile to the slayer. Levy and Gajeel ambled over as Mira returned with drinks and soon the table flowed with good cheer. Erza drank mug after mug of beer, becoming louder and more boisterous.

The guild was temporarily quieted at midnight by Mira shouting for order. The buzzed Erza stalked over to the tree and commandeered the distribution of presents. As each guild member reported to the tree, she rooted about and selected which gift they would open.

Finally, the moment Natsu had been waiting for arrived. He just knew Lucy would love this year's gift. Lucy accepted the box Erza thrust into her arms and hastily started unwrapping it, encouraged by Natsu's beaming face.

She held up the soft pink sweater and smiled happily. "I recognize the packaging, this is from the exclusive Belter Street Boutique! I want to put this on now!" She turned and scampered off to the restroom.

Gray hid his smirk behind his hand and watched Erza hand Natsu a similarly sized box. Joyfully clueless, the pink haired boy tore off the wrapping and held up a butter yellow sweater. Happy pouted with his non-fish shaped parcel, but slapped on a bright smile as Erza equipped her sharpest swords in his direction.

Hands on hips, Erza surveyed the slayer and exceed members of Team Natsu. "What are you waiting for? Put them on." Her eyes glinted with Christmas zeal, "Mira told me of the team building exercise." The armoured woman thrust a package at Gray, "Enjoy."

Gray looked bewildered, "What team building exercise?" He began to open his gift and his face paled as he lifted the lid of very familiar packaging and revealed a dark blue sweater. "I can't wear this!"

Three of Erza's swords dipped to orient themselves at the ice mage. The scarlet haired woman crossed her arms and smiled grimly. "Do not worry, we have different colours, but we all match in style." Her body became enveloped in a display of light and then Erza was revealed wearing a bright green sweater and jeans.

Lucy bounded over, and several males had to pinch their noses to stem the streams of blood. Her pink sweater was soft and clung lovingly to her curves, her generous cleavage on display due to the wide slash in the design of the garment.

Erza glanced down at her own showcased breasts and addressed Lucy. "I have to keep a very important appointment. Don't let these idiots cause too much trouble." Happy was busy admiring himself in his snowy white sweater, wearing it backwards, the use of his wings unhindered with the cleavage slash. Natsu had his sweater on properly frontwards and seemed oblivious to the amount of pectoral muscle on display and was assisting the protesting Gray with his.

Juvia sat with her own unopened package in her lap, staring unabashedly at the ice mage. With a few last curse words and insults, Gray was properly attired in his own pectoral baring sweater. He grimaced and pouted, feeling uncomfortable. Juvia grinned and exchanged a high-five with Mira.

Natsu laughed at the ice mage, "You look stupid!"

"Dipshit, you're wearing one too!" Gray sniped back.

"But I look good."

Levy ran a hand over her own soft sweater and then patted a despondent Gajeel on the back. "Don't feel bad, I'll pick you one up in a boxing day sale.


	2. Last Drink of the Year

_**A/N: Yes, a little late for a New Years story, but better late than never.**_

* * *

><p>Lucy was a bit buzzed. She giggled. Perhaps a little more than just buzzed. Five sheets to the wind. Plastered. Shit-faced. Drunk as a skunk...as a Lord. Her laughing got louder and louder, but didn't draw stares from any of her hard partying guild mates. Levy sat flushed, leaning against Gajeel who was pretending not to notice the solid script mage's wandering hands.<p>

The blonde elbowed Levy and drunk-whispered, ""Touch his ass!" You'd think that would be very quiet, but in fact it was comically loud. The massive New Year's party currently going on inside the guild made it a moot point though, as each conversation competed with each other and resulted in a cacophony of confusion.

Perhaps demonic ears were a cut above the rest. As though responding solely to that, Mirajane appeared at the table with her order pad in hand. She smiled with a predatory glitter in her eyes. "Did I hear someone with an order?"

Lucy continued to giggle, "I need another drink. It evaporated."

Gajeel smirked, "Bunny girl is two drinks away from liver failure."

Keeping her eyes trained on her pad, Mira scribbled furiously and then lifted her eyes to ask Levy and Gajeel if they had an order. They responded and Lucy pouted, gesturing to her empty glass. "Don't worry, I've got you covered!" Mira giggled and flounced over to the bar. A scant minute later, Lucy was turned around in her chair, watching Natsu trade punches with Gray.

Juvia exited the ladies washroom, having brushed her teeth one more time in case she was lucky enough to snag Gray for a New Year's kiss. Usually she preferred to position herself so as not to be noticed, but tonight that wouldn't be at all good. She had monitored his alcohol intake and silently gloated. He'd consumed enough tequila and assorted mixed drinks to float a barge, and would be paying for that decision for days to come.

Out of the corner of her eye, Juvia noticed Lucy and friends sitting at a half empty table. Juvia took note of how Lucy was angled in her chair and wrongly suspected her of ogling the ice mage. Juvia clenched her hands into fists and marched over to the table.

"Love Rival!"

Smiling, Lucy replied. "Where?"

At a bit of a loss; Juvia lost steam, relaxing her fists and instead tugged her skirt down. Taking another tack, Juvia greeted her best friend. "Gajeel-kun! Juvia wishes you a Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year Juvia. You got any resolutions?"

Juvia shook her head in negation. Levy scooted a little closer to her favourite slayer and glared as hard as she could at the water mage. It wasn't very successful, Levy just wasn't intimidating. Her daggers were nowhere near sharp enough to cut Juvia.

Lost in a fog of alcoholic confidence, Levy slipped her dainty hand onto Gajeel's thigh and moved it two inches away from heaven. She curled her lip at Juvia, but it was all a waste of time. Juvia only had eyes for the ice mage at this point. Gajeel was paying attention to Levy though, he could not help but pay attention as he was being publically groped by the woman who'd starred in all of his XXX rated dreams since joining Fairy Tail.

Mira set down the drinks for the table and gave a giant thumbs up to Lucy with an accompanying unsubtle wink. Lucy took hold of her strawberry blitz drink and took a satisfying slurp. Levy removed one hand off of Gajeel to take possession of her gin and tonic while Lily accepted a pitcher of beer for him and his partner. "Good luck everyone!" Mira smiled beatifically at each mage, lingering longest on Lucy.

At a quarter to midnight, Evergreen waded into the pile of fighting mages and dragged Elfman out by his ear. Unsurprisingly, the last thing heard from him was the word, 'man'. Shortly after that, Max exited the scuffle pile and slipped into the broom closet for some private time. The next mage to realize female companionship could be vastly rewarding was Bickslow.

Normally, the Raijinshuu tribe liked to set itself apart from the lower echelons of the guild, but if you pour enough liquor down their throats, certain social barriers were softened. Bickslow had finally noticed Lisanna sitting on the corner of the bar, cross-legged, tapping her fingers on her knee, staring at him. He removed his helmet and slicked his hair back as he turned his back to the last few idiots fighting, his 'babies' floating behind him.

With ten minutes until midnight, Natsu and Gray were the recipients of a miracle. They noticed Erza walking purposefully through the guild before she noticed _them_. They sprang apart and whistled innocently as two guys could who had just been trading punches two seconds earlier. This killed the mood for the rest of the brawlers. Erza ignored all of them to march up to the counter and drum her fingers until a bakery box was plunked down in front of her. She bared her teeth in thanks and whirled away to worship her piece of strawberry cake in private.

Natsu plopped down beside Lucy. He gave her an easy grin and stole her glass from her hands, gulping down the rest of its contents. Smacking his lips, Natsu set down the empty container. "That was pretty good tasting!"

Lucy's lip quivered. "That was my last drink of the year!"

"Don't worry Lucy! Natsu can get you another!" Levy slurred her words, but not so badly the fire mage didn't understand.

"I'll be right back!" Natsu elbowed his way to the bar and signalled for drinks.

Gray rolled his eyes and removed his flask from one of the many pockets of his cargo pants. Unscrewing the flask, Gray shrugged and took a slug of tequila straight. Full of drunken friendliness, he waggled the container in offering at Juvia. Before he could release it into her grasp, she practically had her lips wrapped around the neck and tipped a generous amount down her gullet. With a shy smile she handed it back.

Natsu reappeared with a tray of tall fizzing glasses. "Mira insisted on these." He sulked but perked up a bit as Lucy gave him a broad smile as she picked the lone drink with a strawberry floating. Every other mage at the table reached for a glass as Mira shouted a five minute warning. The boisterous fun quieted (as much as Fairy Tail could) and the lacrimavision broadcasting the countdown was turned up.

Natsu grimaced, "I wish they'd buy a new set. That really hurts my ears." He turned to Gajeel, "Doesn't that hurt you? That static is getting on my last nerve already!"

"I'm tough. I'm fine where I am." Gajeel smirked as Levy pressed ever firmer against his side.

Even drunk, Lucy was concerned for her partner's well being. She leaned over to speak into Natsu's ear. "You want to go outside? It's gotta be quieter." She turned around to hug Levy and drunk-whispered at her, "You go get you some, okay?"

Levy replied just as loudly, "Aw yiiiss!" The two girls laughed as if everyone at the table hadn't heard. Juvia flushed; some of it was from the tequila (and it felt like she'd main lined the damn stuff), some of it was from her wild imagination (it's not like she wanted anyone but Gray-sama, but hearing Levy agree to 'get some' had a full colour movie playing in her head - Juvia wasn't adverse to watching some action go down) and the rest of Juvia's flush was generated by Gray's now pants-less and shirtless body.

Juvia had witnessed his magical stripping many times, but never had Gray flung his clothes directly at her.

Lucy jumped up from her seat and grabbed her drink in one hand and tugged Natsu off by the scarf. He smirked at Gajeel and flipped off Gray. "See ya next year!"

"Lame." Gray patted his legs, "Where's my flask?"

Juvia smiled and held it out to the ice mage. "Juvia has it."

Gray reached over to take it back. "Thanks."

Juvia could only look at her Gray with unexpressed love in her eyes.

Gajeel grunted, "You two are crampin' my style. Go find a dark corner or somethin'." Levy burrowed under his arm and cuddled into his side. She hummed, beyond forming words. Lily snickered and flew off, giving Levy a broad wink.

In two minutes the old year was going to end.

Gajeel scowled at Gray and Juvia. The water mage sighed, "Juvia will leave then." She collected her flute of champagne and placed Gray's neatly folded pants on the table in front of him. "Happy New Year!" She waved at Levy and Gajeel and smiled as bright as she could at Gray.

Another thirty seconds ticked by and Gray scurried after Juvia. He caught up to her fast, she had brought her drink with her and she didn't want to spill after all. The countdown was announcing the last minute in the year when Gray reached out and placed his hand on Juvia's shoulder.

"Huh, lookit that. We did find a dark corner."

Juvia turned around and gave a timid smile. "This might be the very first time Juvia has obeyed an order from Gajeel-kun." She held her drink like a shield in front of her body, shifting her weight from foot to foot as the countdown moved closer to year end.

Gray shuffled a little closer and reached for the glass. "Oi, midnight calls for a champagne toast. You willing to share with me?" Was it the tequila? Was it how cute Juvia looked in that moment? Or was the culprit Mira's special rimming sugar she liked to dust on certain tsundre's drinks? Juvia didn't much care why Gray-sama was being so nice, she was filled with gratitude that he wasn't running from her.

Gray took a swallow of the fizzing wine and held the flute up to Juvia's lips. She accepted the glass, downing the contents. Gray bent his head forward and pressed his lips to hers. At first Juvia actually thought all of the extra noise and fireworks sounding off were in her imagination, because only in her imagination had Gray kissed her. No, she realized, the old year was gone and only the new remained.

* * *

><p>In the middle of a guild shouting well wishes and throwing streamers, drunk mages handing out lots of sloppy hugs and kisses, Gajeel and Levy were remarkable quiet. Mira's special rimming sugar had made its way into most of the iron dragon slayer's drinks courtesy of Pantherlily. (An exceed can only take so much of their dragon slayer partner bellyaching over a certain petite, blue haired girl for so long before deciding to give a big helping kick in the ass.) Midnight found Levy straddling Gajeel's lap, both hands burrowed into his hair and kissing him passionately. They only broke for air when Gajeel's super dragon hearing became subjected to loud supersonic wails.<p>

Mira waggled her finger at Jet and Droy. When they didn't quiet soon enough, she gave them a Sitri smile. She turned back to Laxus and wiped her lipstick off his mouth. "We're shutting down in an hour, be ready to officially celebrate the New Year in an hour and a half."

"Damn right we are."

* * *

><p>Lucy led Natsu out the back entrance of the guild and over to a wooden bench. She brushed the snow off and sat down, shivering. Natsu settled beside her, pressing close to share his ever present fire dragon heat.<p>

"Thanks Natsu." Lucy toyed with her glass of champagne.

"No, thank _you_. The static coming off that old set was seriously bugging my ears." He took a sip of the wine and grimaced. "I asked Mira for fire whisky and she wouldn't give me any."

"It's just traditional to drink champagne." Lucy smiled, "Like having a New Year's party, singing 'Auld Lang Sine', a countdown and a kiss at midnight." Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke. If Lucy hadn't already been sporting a flush from drinking, she would've started a blush right now.

"Oh, things that people like to do become traditional? Because I _love_ parties."

"Kind of, in a way I guess." Lucy could hear the thirty second countdown begin. "Get ready to toast the New Year."

"I'm ready."

Lucy held up her glass and Natsu obligingly clinked his against hers. From inside the guild they could clearly hear each shouted number being counted down. At 'three' they both took a sip. At long last, 'one' was reached and Lucy sat waiting. Her heart was pounding, so excited and unsure. She felt hot and then cold. Should she go ahead and kiss Natsu? Should she just go in for a friend hug?

The noise from the guild hall reached a crescendo and then relative quiet was achieved. Lucy dropped her glass, startled to hear the shrill wailing coming from inside the building. Her mouth started to form the word, 'what'. She never finished that word, or the accompanying thought.

Natsu had bridged the gap between them with his mouth. Lucy let her eyes drift shut, her whole being concentrating on pinning down exactly what she was feeling. She wanted to always remember the cold of the bench stealing the warmth from her backside, the cool night air laden with sudden snowflakes, and the muffled bangs of fireworks.

Lucy also very much wanted to remember the learning curve Natsu experienced. At first it was just lips pressing lips. Lucy was breathing out as her partner initiated the kiss and it was the work of a curious second for him to open his own mouth and glide his tongue out and taste her lip gloss. Her startled 'oh' led to his next discovery; Lucy was actively participating in their endeavour, reaching out her tongue as his voyaged into her mouth.

Natsu had long since dropped his glass as well, deciding his hands would prefer to touch Lucy. Matter of fact, his hands should just bring her closer - he had a free lap just begging to be used. Mission accomplished, Natsu had Lucy sitting much closer and in a position where he could sink one hand into her hair and settle the other lucky sonovabitch onto her delightful ass.

Who's to say how long they might've kissed and groped each other that beautiful starry, snowy night? The long standing love and affection they felt for one another had built itself into a bit of a pressure cooker. The sweet New Year's kiss Lucy had dreamed of was over. Right now, fast-learner Natsu was moving onto the advanced make-out lesson.

Despite the cold, Lucy was feeling quite toasty warm and even through her tightly closed eyelids, she became aware it was getting brighter. It wasn't just brighter and warmer than she expected, it was noisier too. She opened one eye first and then slammed it shut. Lucy wriggled on Natsu's lap and pulled back from his now black-belt level kisses.

"Aww, Luce!" Natsu blinked and smiled sheepishly at a large amount of Fairy Tail Mages. He noticed his flames dancing and glowing powerfully bright, casting a large circle of light. Lucy and himself were covered yet remained unscathed. The bench was lightly scorched and the snow had evaporated in a ten meter radius.

Lucy held out an arm and tried to shake off the flames. "Do something!"

Gradually Natsu was able to pull in his flames. Lucy knew she was red, maybe even more red than Erza's hair. Mira helped shoo the rest of the gawking people inside the guild hall. She turned and gave Lucy a giant wink before she closed the door.

"What was that?" Lucy used her whisper-shout. People already knew what her and Natsu had gotten up to, so there was no real point in keeping quiet. "You set us on fire!"

"Not really all the way on fire, my flames just got a bit carried away." Natsu ruffled his hair and had the grace to look a bit shame faced. "I wanted to start a tradition for us."

Gobsmacked, Lucy raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. "Where you set us on fire and glow so bright the guild comes and interrupts the best kiss of my life?"

"Don't be mad," Natsu settled his hands on his partner's shoulders, "I really like teasing you, and I wanted that to be part of our tradition."

Lucy shook her head, "Setting us on fire is teasing me?"

"More like making you think I wasn't going to kiss you and then kissing you. Getting my flames out of control was not part of the plan." Natsu fully processed everything Lucy had just said, "The best kiss of your life?"

"Don't make me any madder Natsu! Everyone who was out here knows what we were doing, and they're going to tell everyone else! I won't be able to go anywhere without being hassled!" Lucy flushed and glared in turns at Natsu.

"Let me apologize with something I just learned." Natsu leaned into Lucy's personal space and just waited for a response.

Realizing he wasn't about to do anything until she agreed, Lucy sighed. "Okay, go and apologize."

Natsu graduated summa cum laude that night with a master's in kissing and Lucy had never enjoyed an apology so much.


	3. Be Mine, Valentine

_**A/N: The actual V Day drabble I was working on, late, because life intrudes. Thanks to Ryujin65 for the idea of using Gemini ~ **_

* * *

><p>Natsu had no one to blame but himself. He'd conceived a crackpot idea, hatched it and now was ruing ever putting the addle pated idea into practice. Well, everything actually hadn't gone totally to pieces, he could boast that. Almost everything was at a critical juncture; but with luck and possibly heavenly intervention, Natsu could and would pull through to escape unscathed.<p>

It was the unthinkable, if his plan fell to shit, Lucy would rend him from stem to stern. There wouldn't be enough pieces of his body to collect up for burial. Maybe not even enough pieces for cremation. Natsu squirmed in his chair as he waited for Lucy to come back from powdering her nose.

*****Two weeks ago*****

"Focus!" Gemini crossed her arms and imperiously glared at Natsu. "Did you want to hear the whole list or just the highlights? 'Cause Lucy isn't going to let Loke keep her attention very long."

Natsu grinned thoughtlessly. Gemini was wearing the updated version of Lucy's form. No longer clad in a towel, faux Lucy had improved her wardrobe to a tight and low cut tank top and sleep shorts, her now longer hair in a pony tail, the bow matching her shorts.

Gemini waved her hand up and down in front of Natsu's eyes. "Hey! You know how much trouble we spirits had to go through to make this happen? Focus!" She snapped her fingers, and this time Natsu came back to himself.

"Um, the highlights I guess."

"Lucy has quite a few perversion points. First, your chest. She really likes you in that old vest of yours. Or try activities where you can lose your shirt, bonus points if it gets ripped off."

"Really?" Natsu seemed intrigued by that thought. "She likes the vest and second is shirtless?" He couldn't stop himself from inquiring, "why?"

"I don't wanna scare you with all of her reasoning, but sometimes less is more. Secondly, she likes it when you whisper in her ear - and not stupid things. Don't waste time with mundane chatter, use this technique sparingly." Gemini stood with her hands on her generous Lucy hips and pursed her mouth. "Lucy is a sucker to get the inside of her elbows stroked." She giggled then came back to the business at hand. "Gently! Don't let her catch you doing it, make her think she imagined it - because she definitely DOES imagine it."

"Uh, what else?" The slayer rocked on his heels, already impatient to set his plans into motion. "This doesn't seem like enough to make Lucy receptive."

"Making her receptive? Oh sweetie honey baby, she's been fighting against this for the longest time." Gemini fluttered her eyelashes and pouted. "It's such a shame you can smell us apart."

Natsu nodded, "That's just creepy, Lucy's weirdness got copied too, huh?"

Ignoring that, Lucy's celestial spirit continued. "So one last thing, since Valentine's day is coming up, Lucy's other fetish boils down to you in a suit and tie." Natsu frowned, and Gemini shook her head sorrowfully. "Take her somewhere nice, hang out, spend a few jewels on a meal, if you play your cards right - you'll be counting ceiling tiles before you know it."

"A whole suit? Blah - counting ceiling tiles doesn't really sound that fun, either."

"Well, compromise with a dark red dress shirt, black dress pants and shoes. A dark tie if you want some 'fun' later. Trust me about the ceiling tile counting game. You should really read some of her latest works of fiction."

"Your compromise is really specific."

"Honey sweetie baby, there's reasons - and since you asked for my help you must be finally on the same page together, so just roll with it." Gemini lifted her head and closed her eyes. "I gotta go, Lucy slipped away from Loke." Before Natsu could ask any further questions, Gemini dissipated into sparkles and was gone.

*****St. Valentine's Day*****

This was the defining moment. Was Natsu going to bravely try his luck? Was Natsu going to incite his Lucy into claiming him? Was Natsu going to use everything he had learned? He straightened his spine and tie. A ghost of a satisfied smile graced his lips. A tie _was_ just the thing he knew Lucy might appreciate, especially after he'd taken Gemini's advice and delved into Lucy's writing files. He'd gotten two nosebleeds, came dangerously close to passing out, but had learned ever so many titillating things sure to come in handy dealing with a certain blonde's base desires.

Lucy felt nauseous again. If her plan didn't work, she didn't know what she would be able to try next, if indeed she could get up the courage to try. It was almost infuriating to know what she now knew. The blonde scowled, took a deep breath in through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. Repeating the procedure several times settled her nerves enough for Lucy to stride forward once more, heading towards the small table her beloved partner sat at.

*****Two weeks ago*****

Secure in the knowledge Natsu was fighting with Gray, Gajeel and most likely several others at the guild hall, Lucy sat on her couch, a pad of paper and pen in hand. "Gemini, I need you to focus!"

"Sorry Lucy!" Natsu's sweet grin made Lucy's toes curl even though she knew it was only a copy. "There's just so much he likes. It might be a shorter list to tell you what he doesn't like."

Lucy looked nonplussed, "Oh, all right then."

Faux Natsu beamed at his master. "Nothing."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "My magic is finally strong enough to copy Natsu and this is what I get." She smacked her knee with her note book. "I've made up my mind to find out once and for all how receptive Natsu is to me. I need you to focus - tell me what I can do to grab his attention and keep it."

Gemini scratched his head and smiled even wider. "Natsu likes that cleavage sweater." Sitting down on the chair across from his master, Gemini rubbed his chin. "It's hard to say exactly, but his instincts when it comes to you are more reactionary than that of a campaigner."

Lucy furrowed her brows, "You mean to tell me I have to take the lead? I wanted to know what would drive him crazy enough to make a move on me." She hugged the pad of paper to her chest and sighed. "I'm gonna die a virgin at this rate."

"You already know most of his signature moves. He sleeps in your bed to cover you with his scent. Almost everything he does is to mark his territory."

"I'm not a possession!" Lucy rubbed her forehead. "I need a plan of attack."

"That's good." Gemini nodded vigorously. "Assail his defences and you'll be victorious."

"Thanks Gemini, I think I have the germ of an idea now." Lucy smiled and Gemini popped back into their original forms, bowed and went back to the spirit world.

*****St. Valentine's Day*****

Lucy forced her steps to remain steady as she approached the table. The restaurant was actually very nice if you could overlook the various hearts festooned on the walls and incorporated into the decor. At the table where Natsu waited, there were a trio of candles, a heart shaped one floating in water and two tall tapers flanking. His hands were at rest, spread out on the tablecloth and the candles were still burning bright.

"Did the waiter come over yet?" Lucy slid into her seat, "I'm famished."

"Nope." Natsu jerked his chin to the side, "looks like one's coming over now, though."

"Great! The sooner we eat, the sooner we can get on with the rest of the evening!" Lucy licked her lips and added, "you promised to cooperate."

"Uh huh," Natsu started playing with his napkin. "I'm going to let you do what you want." His eyes glittered in the candle light. Lucy couldn't believe her ears and stared from beneath her lashes.

It took the waiter coughing repeatedly to get their attention. He rattled off the night's specials and left after taking their drink order.

"So you're really going to behave?" Lucy cocked her head to the side, "I think I need to write this down for posterity."

Natsu gave a slight nod, "That doesn't sound like me at all, 'behaving' - I've decided to let you do what you want."

The butterflies in Lucy's stomach redoubled their efforts and then calmed down. Lucy gave a jerky bob of her head in response. "Oh, you mean what to do after dinner." She clutched her napkin tighter and looked up in relief as the waiter reappeared with drinks.

"What did you think I meant?"

Lucy opened and closed her mouth without saying anything before her usually quick wits caught up. "What else could there possibly be?"

Natsu was saved from responding as the first plate of food was delivered. Conversation naturally turned to the excellence of the meal. Remembering his goal, Natsu reined in his usual bad table manners.

Both mages relaxed as the meal progressed and the wine didn't hurt matters either. As dessert rolled around, Lucy and Natsu were acting more like themselves. An easy camaraderie existed between the partners as they stood up and prepared to leave the restaurant.

"Hold on one second Lucy!" Natsu bent over the table and ate the tiny flames from the candles. "Those were tempting me all through the meal!"

"I'm surprised you didn't just eat them first thing." Lucy spoke as she accepted her jacket from the coat-check girl.

"And what sort of ambiance would that have left the table with?" Natsu gently pried the impractical jacket out of Lucy's fingers, holding it out properly for her to slide her arms into. "The candle flames were delicious though. Only weirdoes wear short sleeve jackets in this kind of weather." He grinned and took Lucy's hand, leading her out outside. "What do you wanna do now?"

"You don't understand fashion do you? Ah, I just wanted to go and hang out somewhere." Lucy blushed. "Just because we're using the reward for a fancy meal from that mission we went on...uh..."

Her words stumbled to a stop as Natsu squeezed her hand, and faced her squarely. "I meant it when I said I'd let you do what you want." He slid his other hand down her arm from her shoulder to her wrist.

Lucy wasn't sure if she'd imagined him pausing at her elbow and stroking her skin there. Deciding her brain was just being over active, Lucy giggled nervously. "Let's star watch in the park."

"Sure. You're not really dressed for it, but I suppose I'll just have to keep you warm." Natsu spoke softly and all but whispered the last word into Lucy's ear. He tightened his grip on Lucy and they walked the brief distance to the park.

At Lucy's direction, Natsu dragged a table out from under the cover of trees to sit beneath the stars. They both sat on the table top, and craned their heads to watch the sky. Lucy shivered and immediately Natsu moved to sit closer, sharing his warmth. She relaxed against his chest and began idly picking out constellations.

Natsu guided Lucy's arm to point at another grouping of stars; allowing his thumb to brush back and forth against the inside of her elbow. He asked, "you warm enough?"

"Y-yeah." Lucy shivered. Not from the cold, but from Natsu directing his question so that his warm breath flowed into her ear and on her neck.

"You're shivering! I know you're a weirdo, but since when did you become a liar?"

"I'm not lying."

"I'm well aware that people who are cold shiver. Let's get you home." Natsu scrambled off the picnic table and held out his hand to his blonde partner. Lucy pouted slightly and then allowed Natsu to help her to the ground.

Lucy was stone cold sober and furiously thinking as they got closer and closer to Strawberry Street. "Come in for a warm drink Natsu." Lucy dragged her best friend up the stairs and entered her apartment. She hung up her jacket and turned back to face Natsu who was still standing in the middle of her living room.

"Sit down and I'll make some tea."

Natsu scratched his head and agreed, sitting down in the middle of the couch.

Inside the kitchen, Lucy threw a quick tray together and as soon as the water boiled, set the tea to steeping. "Here we are!" She placed the tray down on the coffee table and sat on the couch beside Natsu.

He had his hands locked onto his knees, clutching the fabric of his dress pants. Slowly, he turned his head and locked eyes with Lucy.

Lucy could feel the anxiety, lust and excitement churning in her stomach. "You want me to pour?"

Natsu didn't answer, he couldn't. There were words piling up inside of him he was afraid of. What if Lucy wasn't ready to hear how he felt? What if Lucy decided she would never want more than his friendship? He could ruin everything if he didn't control himself.

Smiling gently, Lucy poured two cups of tea and handed Natsu his. She had to nudge his hand twice so that he would let go of his kneecap. Lucy leaned back against the couch and sipped her beverage. Natsu downed his and leaned forward to set it down and lever himself off the couch at the same time.

Forcing her nerves into submission, Lucy grabbed hold of Natsu's scarf and tugged. It wasn't forceful, but enough for the slayer to slump back down in his seat. He looked at her and just blinked, a raw emotion twisting inside. Lucy watched as his eyes became shuttered and distant.

Placing her own cup down carefully, Lucy then folded her hands together on her lap. "You're an idiot."

"You're a weirdo."

Lucy couldn't not laugh, and neither could Natsu. The tension broke and both partners became weak after long minutes of expressing their amusement. Lucy had leaned towards Natsu and ended up with her face pressed over his chest, giggling madly. Natsu had his arms around Lucy and his nose in her hair.

"Mmmm..." Lucy sighed in contentment. Her arms had snaked around Natsu's waist without any conscious prompting from her brain.

Natsu echoed Lucy's sigh as he inhaled more of Lucy's scent. His right hand lazily stroked up and down Lucy's spine as his left delved into her golden hair. The slayer tensed up as he realized maybe friends don't feel each other up.

Lucy let her eyes slide shut, enjoying the rhythmic glide of Natsu's hand up and down her back. Her ear enjoyed the thud, thud, thud of his heartbeat. It sped up and Lucy became aware that maybe friends didn't feel each other up and wouldn't get excited if they did.

Natsu stilled his hand, preparing to lift it away when Lucy lifted her head up and glared at him. "This is what I want."

Dumbly Natsu looked down and his cheeks blazed with colour. Unable to speak through the lump in his throat, he resumed gliding his hand up and down Lucy's back. Lucy resumed her position and smiled to hear Natsu's heart thump faster and faster.

Lucy pressed herself against Natsu's torso and smirked as his hand faltered in its formerly steady rhythm. "Correct me if I'm wrong," Lucy put both her hands on Natsu's chest and peered up into his dark eyes. "It seems to me that what I want, you want too?"

Natsu still couldn't bring himself to answer; it seemed like Lucy was receptive to his advances, but Igneel had beaten this golden rule into his head like none other. His chosen female had to be the instigator, or he risked chaining an unwilling female to his side.

"Idiot." Lucy pushed herself away to sit in the corner of the couch. "I don't know why I thought..."

Soberly, Natsu echoed her. "Thought? I can barely think at all, around you." He shrugged and pushed himself into the other far corner of the couch. "Just tell me you don't hate me, okay?"

"I don't hate you, I think I hate me." Lucy hunched forward and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I was just fooling myself that you'd like me the way I like you." Her head flopped forward and she missed the gleam that lighted Natsu's eyes.

"There's no fool like a weirdo, that's what I've always heard," Natsu said.

"That isn't a saying." Lucy forced herself to smile and look at her partner. "I'm sorry I let a dumb holiday mess with our friendship. It just seemed like fate was handing me the perfect opportunity..."

"You never wondered why I agreed to take an easy mission where the reward was a fancy meal?"

Lucy was mired too deep inside her own thoughts to respond right away. It took Natsu repeating himself twice before she looked over at him. "Huh?"

Natsu took a deep breath, "You remember the easy mission we took that had a fancy dinner as a payment?"

Lucy nodded.

"I set it up." Natsu blushed. "I didn't know what else to do."

"You set it up...huh." Lucy bit her lower lip and frowned slightly. "You _**wanted**_ to take me out to dinner?"

"Yes." Natsu lowered his eyes. "I'm no good with words, but I really meant it when I said you can do what you want."

"We already star gazed and now we're sitting here, awkwardly dancing around something between us that I'm not sure is going on." Lucy sighed.

"I didn't mean what _**activities**_, I meant more along the lines of..." Natsu sat up straighter and couldn't force out more words.

"Dammit." Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She exhaled and imagined her tension and nerves leaving. She repeated the exercise until she felt less jumpy. Snapping her eyes open, she decided to take the plunge. "Would you come closer if I asked you to?"

Natsu nodded.

"Would you hold me if I asked you to?"

Again, another wordless nod from the slayer.

"Would you be mine?" Lucy waited for Natsu to answer.

Slowly he got up from the couch and just stood, looking at his best friend. Natsu moved closer and closer. He pulled Lucy off the couch and into his arms. He hugged her and whispered into her ear, "I've been yours since I met you."

***** bonus *****

Happy flew into Lucy's bedroom as per usual, a little perturbed that it was already midnight and the bed wasn't being warmed up for his comfort. Deciding to raid Lucy's supply of fish, he flew into the living room. And to this day Happy cannot bear to hear the words, 'Oh my god' - he shakes, petrified and tormented by the lewd images he was never meant to see.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: give me a show of hands, I could expand the 'bonus' portion quite considerably...but I think I'd have to up the rating on this drabble series. Mmmm, help me decide.**_


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